Only Canadiens, Leafs would be in if playoffs started today

It looks like it’s going to be struggle for Canada to have more than one or two home-grown sides in the NHL playoffs come spring. That’s the indication so far with some unsettling trends for most of the seven Canadian clubs.

With realignment this season, the NHL brought in a new playoff structure as now the top three clubs from each division qualify and the clubs with the next two best records within the Eastern and Western conferences get in as wild cards.

If the NHL playoffs started today only the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs would be in. Two Western Conference clubs have little hope but to play spoiler roles come April — the Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames. It’s not only the points gap, but the number of teams that are already above the Alberta clubs. And the Winnipeg Jets, will need a miracle — eight points out of eighth spot and five teams to climb over — to get there. The Vancouver Canucks are so far in a battle to get in, currently sitting ninth, right behind Phoenix and Minnesota for the two wild card spots.

The hard reality of the new playoff system is already appearing with several anomalies and complaints. It’s a given that’s going to happen when you have weak divisions, namely that the teams that have to scrape in to get a wild card spot often have a much better record than some No. 2 or 3 seeds in a weak division who qualify with sub-par records.

I glanced at the NHL standings. Three teams that deserve playoff series are in the bottom three. All Canadian.

And imagine what some Western Conference general managers, who are in a dogfight in their conference for a playoff spot are thinking when they look eastward. Eighth-place Phoenix, now the second wild card, would have the fourth highest points total in the Eastern Conference.

The disparity? Every Western club has a winning record against Eastern clubs with the exception of the Oilers. And Ottawa is having the toughest time of any Eastern club against the Western Conference with a 1-8-2 record.

The Habs and Leafs hold the two wild cards right now, but the Leafs are stumbling as of late and only hold a four-point edge over New Jersey.

Yes, a lot of hockey to be played, but some Canadian teams are going to have to go on incredible runs to make the post-season — and get some breaks along the way.